gMG REAL STORIES

Meet Aimee

Diagnosed with gMG

In her 30s, Aimee began to experience several unusual symptoms. It started with a droopy eyelid and progressed to episodes of choking while eating or drinking. When she swallowed, she felt a spasm in her chest as if whatever she was consuming was getting stuck.

Aimee, diagnosed with gMG

Aimee was hospitalized multiple times based on her symptoms, but none of her visits resulted in a diagnosis. This pattern continued for seven years.

Finally, a neurologist was able to give Aimee an answer for what she was experiencing. She was diagnosed with generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), a rare autoimmune disease characterized by loss of muscle function and severe muscle weakness.1

“When I got my official diagnosis with [generalized] myasthenia gravis, it was the most beautiful and the most tragic pill to swallow,” Aimee reflects.

Aimee was relieved to finally know what she was up against, but she still needed to process the reality of her diagnosis. She found patient organizations that she leaned on for support.

Aimee, diagnosed with gMG Aimee, diagnosed with gMG Aimee, diagnosed with gMG

As a native New Yorker, Aimee has had to learn how to adapt to living with gMG in a fast-paced city. She modifies her daily activities by taking advantage of the moments when she is full of energy, but listening to her body and resting when it tells her to slow down.

Aimee continues to manage her gMG with her medical team and dedicates her time to advocating for people with rare and chronic diseases.

References:

  1. Howard J F, et al. Myasthenia gravis: the role of complement at the neuromuscular junction. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2017;1412(1):13-128.